Fruit and vegetable washing machine



FRUIT AND `VEGETABLLE WASHING MACHINE Filed`July 17, l19154 2Sheets-Sheet` 1 aNwENToRs 0V m15 "Mr fili,

ATTORNEYS March U, n1936.. Dl CQMORRlS Erm, 033,848

FRUIT AND VEGETABLE WASHING MCNEI y v Filed July 17, 1954 2 sheets-sheet2 ATroRNEYs Patented Mar. 10, 1936 PATENT OFFICE FRUIT AND VEGE'JIABLEVWASHING VMACHINE Douglas C. Morris and Leonard O. Cockrill, Yakima,Wash., assignors to Fruit Packers Supply and Equipment Company, Yakima,Wash., a corporation of Washington Application July 17, 1934, Serial No.735,642

A 1 Claim.

This invention relates to a fruit and vegetable washing apparatus. p

An object of the invention is the provision of afr'uit washing apparatusin which the buoyancy of the washing solution is utilized for aiding insupporting the fruit at the surface of the `liquid while means areemployed which are movable in a circular manner for raising the fruitabove the liquid and revolving the same after which the fruitis loweredinto the liquidl again and lthen elevated up an inclined stepped portionfor depositing the Washed fruit upon an inclined table that dischargesthe fruit into a rinsing bath.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an apparatus forwashing fruit or vegetables in Which'a plurality of members are movedthrough the upper portions of a liquid ina. tank with the parts whichengage the fruit being moved through a substantially'circular motion forraising the fruit and lowering the same while causing rotation `of thefruit, means being employed in connection with the raising and loweringelements adjacent one end ofthe tank for moving Athe washed fruits overthe end of the tank and into a rinsing bath. A further object of thefinvention is the pro- Vision of a plurality of metal strips arranged inspaced parallel relation having undulating surfaces with means formoving the strips simulta- Iieously` in such a manner that points of thestrips whichV engage the fruits will take a circular course forelevating the fruit abovethe level of the liquid and into'the liquidwhile causing rotation of the fruits with means located above the stripsand restingY substantially upon the fruits for causing a scrubbingVaction during the rotation of the fruits and during the progression; ofthe fruits from'one end of the tank to the other where atthelastmentioned points the fruits are elevated and discharged into arinsing tank.

This invention will be best understood from a consideration ofthefollowing detailed description, in view of the accompanying drawings,form-- ing a part of the specification; nevertheless, it is tobeunderstood that the invention is not confined to the disclosure, beingsusceptible of such changes and modifications as define no materialdeparture from the salient features of the in vention as expressed inthe appended claim.

Inthedrawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the fruit and vegetable washing deviceconstructed in accordance with the principlesV of our invention, 1

1 `'Figure 2 is a plan View of the washing appaia- (Cl. 14S-194) Figure3 is a section taken along the line 3-4-3 of Figure 2, and

' lFigure 4 is a transverse vertical section taken along the Aline 4--4of Figure 3.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, I0 designates a base memberwhich may include I-beams II. From this base member rise angle irons I2and I3. The angle irons I2 and I3 are connected together at their upperends by means ofV longitudinally disposed angle bars I4 and I4a.

A tank I5 is supported upon the base member I Il and has one wall I6common with a tank I1 and this wall is also common to the compartment I8in which is housed certain mechanism for transmitting motion in a mannerwhich will where the gases are then discharged to the atmosphere. Itwill be noted that the walls of the flue 3|, pipes 30, the top wall 32and side wall 33 of the heating chamber 28, together with the top wall34 of the furnace room 25 are exposed to the washing liquids in the tankI5. The liquid in the tank is normally maintained at the level indicatedby the line 35.

A frame which is adapted to have a predetermined movement, as will bepresently explained, consists of a pair .of spaced side bars 36 and 31and these side bars are connected together b-y means of spaced angleirons 38. Depending from the lower edges of the side bars are lugs 39,to which the ends of the angle irons are connected.

Secured to the upper edges of the angle irons 38 Vwhich are T-shaped incross section, are a plurality ofV strips of metal 40 having pockets 4Iand alternately disposed elevations 42 thus forming an undulatingsurface on the strips. These strips extend longitudinally of the tankI5.

At the receiving end of the tank is provided a slotted table 43 and thistable has its upper end, as shown at 44, connected to the upper edge ofthe end wall I9. The lower end of the table, as shown at 45, is`connected to the topi 34 of the fur nace room 25. The table 43 may beformed of strips of metal instead of being slotted, but in any event theslots are of such a width that the Ystrips 40 may be received within theslots for reciprocation. v

A conveyor, generally designated by the numeral 46, has its upper endadjacent the table 43 so that as the fruit or vegetables are fed uponthe conveyor they are carried upwardly and dumped upon the inclinedtable 43 whence they will roll downwardly into the solution and floatupon the solution or at times be supported by the bars or strips 40.

A plurality of strips 50 having stepped portions are disposed in spacedrelation adjacent the inner ends of the tank I5 and are adapted to bereceived in the spaces between the strips or bars 40. These strips,however, are maintained stationary while the elevated and steppedportion 52 of the strips 40 are moved through the stepped portions 5| ofthe strips 50.

These strips are supported by an angle iron 53 secured to the side wallsof the tank and this angle iron is supported by a bracket 54 secured tothe side walls of the tank.

The strips 50 merge into an inclined table portion 55 which is adaptedto receive the fruit or vegetables that have been elevated by thestepped portion 52 of the strips 40 and this table is continueddownwardly, as shown at 56, and secured to a bottom portion 51 of thetank |1.

An angle iron 58 connects the depending portions 59 of the strips orbars 40 at the inner terminals of sai-d strips or bars.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 3 in which the tank |1 is shown, itwill be seen that a second reciprocatory member is employed and consistsof a pair of side bars 60 and 6| which are spaced from the side walls 20and 2|. The inner lower ends of these bars are connected together bymeans of a transverse bar 62 while the outer elevated portions 63 areconnected together by means of an angle iron 64. A plurality of metalstrips 65 are located in spaced relation and are connected to the bars62 at their inner ends.

The outer ends of the strips are bent downwardly, as shown at 66, andare connected to the angle irons 64.

These strips likewise are corrugated to provide an undulating surf-acefor engaging the fruit and they also have stepped portions 61 and araised portion 68 at their outer ends.

A plurality of stationary strips are connected at their inner lower endsto the bottom 51 of the tank I1. These strips have stepped portions 1|disposed between the spaced strips E5. These strips are extendedupwardly and are provided with an inclined table portion 12 whichdischarges the fruit into a third tank (not shown) containing a washingsolution.

The tank |1 is provided with a spraying device, indicated at 13, forspraying the fruit with fresh water as it is being elevated to theinclined table 12.

An overflow pipe 14 is located in the tank |1 and passes through thebottom 51 for maintaining the liquid in the tank at a predeterminedlevel.V

A driving means for the members 40 and 65 are disposed partly in thechamber I8 in which is placed an electric motor 80. This motor drives ashaft 8| and a sprocket 82. The sprocket in turn drives a chain 83 andtherefore a sprocket 84.

A sprocket 85 is driven by a shaft 86 which is secured to the sprocket84. The sprocket 85 drives a chain 81 driving in turn a sprocket 88secured toa shaft 89. The shaft 89 causes to be driven a chain 90 whichin turn drives a` sprocket 9| and likewise a shaft 92 which is securedto said sprocket.

A chain 93 is caused to be driven by the shaft 89 and this chain drivesa sprocket 94 which is secured to a shaft 95 so that the shaft islikewise driven. Arrows on the various elements show the direction ofrotation of said elements.

An eccentric 96 is secured to the shaft 95 and is revolved thereby.Mounted upon the eccentric is a strap 91 having a depending arm 98 whichis secured to the bar 60. It will be noted that a pair of the eccentricsare located upon opposite sides of the tank and a duplicate constructionis provided so that the depending arms 98 of the straps are secured torespective side bars 60.

A link |00 is pivotally connected at |0| at each side of the tank andthe pivotal connection is secured to its respective side bar 60. Theupper end of the link |00 is pivotally connected at |02 to a lever |03which has its opposite ends secured to a shaft |04 mounted in a bearing|05 on the angle iron 4.

A lever |06 is secured to the shaft |04 and is pivotally connected at|01 with one end of a rod |08. The other end of the rod is pivotallyconnected at |09 with a lever ||0 which is secured to the shaft 95.

An eccentric I5 is rigidly secured to the shaft 92 and has a dependingarm ||6 secured to a post |1 which in turn is connected to a side bar36. It will be noted that a duplicate construction is located upon eachside of the tank and outwardly of the side bars 36 and 31. A lever |8 issecured to the shaft 92 and the free outer end of this lever ispivotally connected at ||9 with one end of a rod |20. The opposite endof this rod is pivotally connected at 2| with a lever |22 which issecured to a shaft |23. This shaft is mounted in a bearing |24 carriedby a top rail or 2| as the case may be. A lever |25 is secured to theshaft |23 and is pivotally connected at |26 with a link |21 and thislink is pivotally connected at |28 with a bearing |29 that is secured tothe side bar 36 or 31 as the case may be. It will be noted that asimilar construction is mounted on the angle iron 31 at the other sideof the tank.

When fruits have been sprayed to prevent loss, this fruit must be washedin order to remove any of the poisons. For this purpose we propose towash the fruit with an alkali bath, then remove the fruit, rinse thesame, and then run the fruit through a weak acid solution of any wellknown type for the purpose, after which the fruits are again rinsed. Thetanks and equipment for carrying out the washing by acid and the rinsingprocess are not disclosed since these tanks are substantially identicalin construction with the equipment described above in connection withthe alkali wash and the rinsing apparatus. In other words, anyduplications of the constructions shown in Figs. 2 and 3 may be employedin series without departing from the scope of the invention.

The operation of my device is as follows: The fruit, or in some casesvegetables, are carried by the conveyor 46 to the tank |5 and they aredeposited upon the inclined table 43 and below the sheet of material|30. This material is connected at 3| to the end wall of the tank I5 andsufficiently above the outer end of the table 43 to permit the fruit toroll down over the table and beneath the sheet of material |30. Thismaterial may be formed of any suitable type of fabric which has asufciently coarse surface to fur..

nish a scrubbing action of the fruit as it is passed through the tankI5. 'I'his sheet of material, as will be seen from Fig. 3, extendssubstantially the full length of the horizontal portions of thecorrugated members 40. The material may be made of fabric, rubber, or itmay have a brush effect at the inner surface where it will engage thefruit and act as a scrubber for the same as the fruit is being movedlongitudinally of the tank I5. A plurality of floating brushes may beused instead of the sheet of fabric.

'I'he eccentrics H5 and 98 are driven in the directions indicated by thearrows in Fig. 3 and the straps ||a and 91 operate the arms ||6 and 98,respectively, for causing the inner ends of the side bars supporting thestrips 40 and 65, respectively, through a rotary motion.

The rods |20 which are operated by the levers ||8 actuate the levers|22, the ,levers |25, and likewise the links |2`| so that the side barsconnected to the links |21 and the arms IIB will be moved through amotion which may be termed a parallelogram.

The frame which includes the side bars 36 and 31 is moved upwardly anddownwardly and shifted forwardly so that the corrugations 42 of thestrips 40 move the fruit longitudinally of the tank until they reach thestepped portion 5| of the strips 50. At this portion the stepped portion52 of the strips 48 move through the stepped portions 5| andprogressively elevate the fruit along the steps 5| until they reach theinclined table 55. The elevated portion 5 |a of the stepped portionholds the fruit at this time on the table so that when this portion islowered below the table the fruit will roll down the inclined table andinto the rinsing tank It will be borne in mind that the fruit is floatedon the liquid and that the corrugated portions 42 merely move the fruitforwardly. 'I'he fruit is not only moved forwardly but is revolved andthe surfaces come constantly in contact with the fabric |30 to give ascrubbing action. The same kind of operationof moving the fruit throughthe rinsing tank and outwardly thereof is had as has been just explainedin connection with the tank I5.

The eccentrics 9B and the links |00 cause the spaced strips 65 to bemoved through a motion in the shape of a parallelograrn so that thecorrugations of the strips 65 move the fruit longitudinally through therinsing bath after which the fruits are raised step by step upon thestationary strips l0 until they reach the inclined platform 'I2 whencethey are released by the elevated portions 68 of the strips 10 as saidelevated portions are lowered below the table '|2 to permit the fruit toroll into the acid bath (not shown).

We claim:

A fruit washing apparatus comprising a tank adapted to be filled to apredetermined level with a washing solution for fruits, a plurality ofspaced movable strips having horizontal sections provided withalternately disposed convex and concave portions, said strips beingconnected together and normally located sufficiently below the level ofthe liquid in the tank to permit the fruit to float on the liquid, theouter ends of the strips being inclined upwardly to a point above theadjacent end of said tank and having corrugations the walls of whichbeing substantially at right angles to each other to provide steppedportions, a plurality of stationary strips disposed alternately with theinclined ends of the movable strips and having stepped portions, themovable stepped portions cooperating with the stationary steppedportions for elevating the fruit from horizontal sections of the movablestrips, and means for moving the movable strips simultaneously so thatpoints on the strips will be urged through a path appproximating acircle.

DOUGLAS C. MORRIS. LEONARD O. COCKRlLL.

